Permissions
by HVK
Summary: Princess Bubblegum and Finn are alone in a cart; Bubblegum addresses Finn's reluctance to call her by her true name, especially in light of them having an in-story upgraded relationship. Finn relents, and romance ensues.


The cart rolled onward throughout the long road, tall trees bordering that road and casting down long shade around them, and Princess Bubblegum sat back with a smile on her face.

She turned her head, tilting it down. Finn looked back at her, and sitting down even the top of his hat reached her bustline, and that broad smile on his freckled face made her smile wider; it was open and inviting, his lips several shades darker than his face and enticing. She knew the shape, and the taste, of his lips quite well.

A familiar heat churned deep inside, but she put it aside for a moment. "Thank you for volunteering to come with me, Finn," she said, voice sincere and bright.

"You know it's cool, Peebs," Finn said reassuringly. "I mean, uh, no fair you having to come alone in a kingdom where you don't know anyone."

Bubblegum considdered this. "But, well… ah, I do have many courtiers and allies that would have been pleased to accompany me."

"But are any of them actually your _friends_?"

A long pause. A very long pause.

Bubblegum looked at the floor, rocking under them. She thought of long weeks spent working hard for a kingdom that was likely going to be the death of her some day, the prospect of scienctific work so far away, and it all seemed like a gray drudgery out of context with the brightness of her surroundings… and then Finn and Jake and Marceline and Flame Princess would come by, and then the world was brighter and better.

Sometimes, she wished she didn't have to wait for them to show up, that she could just leave the kingdom in safer hands. But there were none she dared trust, save her own.

She didn't have to say 'no', to Finn. It was pretty clear what her answer was.

Bubblegum smiled weakly, and Finn's eyes shone bright with concern. It occured to her how handsome (and beautiful both) he was; the clearness of his features, the shine of his hair under that hat, the soft roundness of his body…

Her hips shifted, needfully, as if slowly grinding against an astral partner. One hand, against her seat, squeezed against the wood, and it began to splinter under her grip.

"Thanks for coming," she said again, trying to keep the intensity out of her voice and remain calm and controlled.

"No problem, Princess."

She gave him a sidelong look, a faint smile that was nearly a smirk. "Finn, _Finn_. We've talked about this. You're perfectly free to call me Bonnibel." A long moment. "That is permitted for my very _best_ friends."

She almost said to him, that he was rather more than a friend, but the words stuck in her throat. She swallowed, shook her head, and put an arm around his shoulder. She squeezed him, and his skin was so soft, his flesh so warm, his totality so…_perfect_. A lovely thing, sweetly engineered for her admiration and interest, she thought sometimes.

Finn grinned sheepishly. "S'okay… _Princess_."

She giggled. "Silly boy." Her arm brought him close, squeezing him to her, and he was so close, so near, and he smelled so nice…

Bubblegum was nearly wiggling in place now. She glaced around, confirming that the cart was automated and they were quite alone (as she had planned), and her other hand slid downwards. Her palm examined his forearm, his wrist, and neatly eclipsed his own hand, her fingers gently moving over his and clasping.

His fingers went over hers. They squeezed back, and the both of them gigggled, a little guiltily, like young people who were very new at physical pleasures and had shyness mingled with the urge to experiment. Bubblegum was a lot older than Finn, so much older, older than her entire kingdom, but Finn made her feel young and free and content again. It was nice, the way he made her feel.

Finn was fun. Her very best friend.

One, Bubblegum was pleased to think, who freely offered benefits to her.

"Finn," Bubblegum said. "I don't suppose you would like to…?"

"Um," Finn said. "Peebs, uh…"

"Yes?"

"Uh… we're alone, y'know, going places, and, uh…" He blushed. "That's cool, Peebs! It's, uh, it's really cool!" He grinned, sheepishly.

She giggled, and couldn't help it. With her other arm, she picked Finn up, pulling him into her lap. His legs lay astraddle over her broad, thick thighs, his lower body pressed sweetly into her. He wiggled against her, giggling helplessly and grinning like a love-mad fool (and so was she, though measured and calculated and accounted for, as this was the correct way to do things) and she bent over enough for her face to find his, and the moment of her lips meeting his was as sweet as the finest sugar.


End file.
